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Introductions and Initiations
This is episode one, season one, of Imperfectly Lovely. Enjoy! Introductions and Initiations It was sun-high. A warm, sun-high afternoon. Also a very anxious afternoon. Is that the right word? anxious? Oh, you can never tell. But that’s most likely what I feel. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Cloverpaw, and I am a Level Thirteen Apprentice of SunClan, or a Thirteen for short. I’m in the highest rank of apprentices. The ones who would be made official warriors of SunClan. The ones that would get their official jobs, and soon their partners. Such a frightening thought if you think about it! Actually, no...frightening is too strong ''of a word... “Cloverpaw!” The call arouses me from my thoughts. I turn from a small patch of grass where I was sitting. Barely any of my groupmates were playing games today during recreational time, mostly because they were all full with anticipation. The initiation was tonight! “What is it?” I asked. I turn to see one of my groupmates—my friend—Blackpaw, scurrying towards me. She looked out of breath and not happy. Upset described the look on her face. “That mouse-brain, Frostpaw, attacked Juniperpaw again today,” she muttered in between gasps for breath. “Frostpaw was obviously chastised again for the infraction, but Juniperpaw still feels troubled. What should I say before recreational time is over?” You probably don’t know, but I’m known as the one that ''everycat ''seeks advice from. Of course, they go to the mentors if somecat makes an infraction, but for more emotional needs—which cats of SunClan usually aren’t good at interpreting—always come to me. I feel honored—no, too strong of a word—glad perhaps? Yes. I feel ''glad ''that others come to me for problems. I’m glad that they seek me for leadership. I don’t think of myself as some all-powerful-wisdom-cat, but I’m glad to solve everycat’s problems. It makes SunClan even brighter, right? And I’ll do ''anything ''to protect my friends. They say I’m very loyal to them. Almost too loyal! Oh well. I apologize for rambling. Anyways, I pondered on what the black-furred she-cat wanted from me. “Hmm...” I murmured, “just be kind to him, I suppose. Just help him to be happy. Tell him words from your heart.” Blackpaw gave me a look. “That helps.” I rolled my eyes. “It’s true!” Well, almost. I didn’t really know how to think when the Initiation was looming right above our heads. I mean, I am under a lot of pressure. Let’s just say my parents have a very high position in SunClan, and they want me to have the same. Blackpaw sighed and muttured, “Well, okay then. I’ll listen to you because you are usually right. And also...” she glanced at the floor nervously, “something happened with Lionpaw.” I blinked. ''What a surprise. ''“What happened?” Lionpaw. He’s...he’s my friend. Lionpaw’s arrogance, though, it can take a big hit on SunClan. Lionpaw’s a rebellious kind-of cat, questions everything. Lionpaw is my best friend, but...at the same time, he’s ''something else. I don’t know how to describe it. But it doesn’t matter, does it? Blackpaw sat down in front of me, sighing. “Being the mouse-brain he is, he picked a fight with Frostpaw after he hurt Juniperpaw. But like, a real fight. It was bad...the Mentors had to interfere to rip them off each other. Both of them are going to be taken to the Healers.” I almost gasped. Was Lionpaw okay? Why in the name of The Leaders would he do that? “How could I miss this?” Was the question that came out of my mouth. Blackpaw shrugged. “It was all over there—” she flicked her tail to a large dump of trees, at the edge of the recreation field, far, far away from where we were standing, “—and the fight was ‘quick’. But...bloody.” She shifted uncomfortably. I knew Blackpaw wasn’t telling the whole truth about the fight. So I asked again: “What happened?” She suddenly looked fierce. “Are you sure ''you want me to tell you?” I tipped my head confused. “Yes?” ''I mean, what could be so wrong that Blackpaw had to hide something from me? In SunClan, we are taught to always tell the truth... “Fine,” Blackpaw answered, a look of disappointment flashing into her eyes. “Lionpaw...almost killed ''Frostpaw.” I stumbled back in shock—no, that’s ''too strong of a word, surprise—and stared at Blackpaw. “H-he...he what?” “You heard what I said.” I did. And I couldn’t believe someone—one of my best friends—would do such a thing. Sudden feelings of anxiety, dissapointment, and fear washed over me. “What’s going to happen to him?” Blackpaw licked her paw nervously. “I don’t know,” she admitted, “but I do ''know he’s definitely going to The Council Of Leaders after he is checked by the Healers.” I almost gasped. He could be released! Trying to kill somecat—that is rarer that somecat not being initiated! And trust me, reader, that is very rare. I needed —no, ''wanted—to talk to Lionpaw. If my Intructors and parents let me, of course. But still... The instructors called us to leave to recreation field to go our dwellings. Blackpaw and I—or anycat, for that matter—didn’t talk about the incident for that time. Things that are different or disappointing aren’t really spoken of, because it can bring severe shame and dissapointment on others. It’s very rare that cats do these types of things in SunClan; that’s why I’m so worried. Winterpaw and Thunderpaw walked with me to our dwellings, while Blackpaw went to talk to Juniperpaw and Lionpaw...you know what happened. Thunderpaw, Winterpaw and I were only talking about our Initiations when we padded back to our dwellings. We were so excited. “Hey Winterpaw, what do you think you’re assignment’s going to be for your initiation?” Thunderpaw boomed in his unusual deep voice. “I don’t know,” he whispered thoughtfully, “but I wish to be a Healer. I’ve been spending the Helping Hours in Sparrowdapple’s den.” “That’s would definitely please you parents,” I answered. Winterpaw nodded. Thinking about the initiation, I was—again—nervous, anxious—the feelings I’ve been feeling the entire day—but also, discomforted and even a bit worried.. Lionpaw. Thunderpaw, Winterpaw and I havent brought him up at all during our walk to our dwellings. Like I said, it was best that we didn’t. But I could tell we were all nervous for Lionpaw. What would be his punishment? Would he miss his Initiation? Even worse, would he be...released? No. That can’t happen. Releasing is very shameful, reader, if you are condemned to it. If the Elders aren’t going through a releasing ceremony, cats will rarely ''speak about being released; even the thought is frightening and fraught with shame. I almost shuddered. I would try not to think about that. I would definitely visit him as soon as I can, I decided. I’m his friend. StarClan, He must be terrified right now... I turned my head back to Winterpaw and Thunderpaw’s conversation. They were talking about their warrior name. “I wonder what the Council of Leaders will decide for me,” Winterpaw wondered. “I would appreciate my name to be something along the lines of Wintershadow or Wintershade.” “Interesting,” I answered back, officially rejoining the conversation. The Council of Leaders lead SunClan. It consists of twelve leaders under the suffix of star; and they decide ''everything. From mates, to jobs, to warrior names, to kits, to laws, to punishments. They monitor the entire SunClan, and they are the leaders. The Council is fair, and that’s that. We don‘t question. we don’t need to—I mean, have to—question anything. Rarely does the Council make mistakes. We arrived at Winterpaw’s dwelling, and right next to it—Thunderpaw’s dwelling. My dwelling was on the other side of the path. Winterpaw nodded a goodbye to Thunderpaw and me and went inside. Thunderpaw then said goodbye to me, turned, and headed inside his dwelling, muttering about something about his brother, Frostpaw. Yes, Frostpaw may be an upsetting bully, but Thunderpaw isn’t like that. That’s why he’s my friend. For some reason, the name Lionpaw flashes into my head again—I shiver with worry—while I head into my dwelling, where my parents are waiting for me. As I enter, and my younger sister excitedly greets me, I realize again that’s tonight’s the night. Tonight is the initiation. But what about Lionpaw? The end.